Bridging Computational Predictions and Empirical Data: Insights into SARS-CoV-2 Mutational Impacts and Evolution (preprint)

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has unleashed a global health crisis, demanding advanced research into its genomic mutations and their consequences. Our study combines computational models and empirical validation to predict the effects of these mutations, aiming to understand their impact on the virus's behaviour, including its transmissibility and immune escape mechanisms. Utilising advanced prediction tools, we analysed mutations across the virus's genome, focusing on changes to both structural and non-structural proteins. This approach identified key mutations likely to influence protein functionality and the virus's evolution. Our findings, integrating computational predictions with real-world data, offer insights into SARS-CoV-2's evolutionary path and its implications for developing vaccines and therapies. We highlight the necessity of ongoing genomic surveillance and the combined use of computational and empirical methods to stay ahead of viral mutations. This study not only deepens our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 but also lays groundwork for future research on viral evolution and pandemic response strategies, emphasizing our approach's potential to inform public health decisions and research priorities.

Time Discounting and Hand-Sanitization Behavior: Evidence from Japan

Whether non-compliance with hand sanitization is related to impatience or impulsivity is an unresolved issue. Several studies have argued that not maintaining hand sanitization requirements during a pandemic could relate to impatience or impulsivity. However, the impatience or impulsivity of hand sanitization needs to be investigated in pandemic-free situations, as government requirements for hand sanitization influence subjective preferences. Little research, however, has examined such associations in pandemic-neutral scenarios. To fill this gap, this study assesses the role of two aspects of time discounting—hyperbolic discounting and impatience—in influencing hand-sanitizing behavior in Japan. The study utilized two waves of 2021 and 2018 datasets derived from the Japanese population-based survey of the Preference Parameters Study of Osaka University (N = 725). The probit regression results provide partial support for deviation from hand sanitization as an impulsive decision because the phenomenon is evident only in females. There were no notable impacts of the impatience variable in any of the models or specifications. Our study provides important policy implications. We argue that one-size-fits-all policies may not solve the impulsivity associated with hand-sanitization behavior in Japan because the impulsivity problem is not commonly found among all respondents. Policymakers should consider underlying gender differences when designing future health-promoting measures.

Destination social responsibility drives destination brand loyalty: a case study of domestic tourists in Danang city, Vietnam

PurposeThis study aims to identify how perceived destination social responsibility (DSR) drives destination brand loyalty through a jointly and independently mediated mechanism of cognitive and affective components (e.g. tourist-destination identification, cognitive image, affective image and tourist satisfaction) and to examine the moderating role of individual-level collectivist values in linking perceived DSR and tourist behaviors.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey is conducted to collect the data of 351 domestic tourists visiting an urban tourism destination (e.g. Danang City) in Vietnam. A serial multiple mediation model and moderation model were examined by applying covariance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThis research's results highlight the leading factors of perceived DSR in the process of forming destination brand loyalty and confirm the vital role of the intermediary mechanism of tourists' cognition and affect during this process. The chain of causal relationships DSR → TDI → CI → AI → TS → DBL confirms the role of perceived DSR as an essential prerequisite factor of DBL, creating a close connection to tourists' cognition and affect and contributing to improving destination brand loyalty. Individual-level collectivist values were found to positively moderate the links between perceived DSR and tourist-destination identification, affective image and destination brand loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research would provide insights into the links between perceived DSR and tourist behaviors by considering moderating variables (e.g. cultural distance and tourist types) and uncovering specific insights into each destination stakeholder's DSR activities.Originality/valueA new integrated model of destination brand loyalty development is proposed to explore a new path for destination brand loyalty formation through cognitive, affective and cognitive-affective pathways. This moderating stream of examining individual-level collectivist values can make a significant contribution to the extant tourism literature by promoting a more positive tourist perception of DSR, thereby increasing tourists' knowledge, beliefs and emotions and enhancing destination brand loyalty.

Capacity of local authority and community on epidemic response in Vietnam: Implication for COVID-19 preparedness.

Local authority's response and community adaptive capacity are critically important for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, especially for the disease with an astonishing speed of spreading like COVID-19. This study aims to examine the perception on the capability of local authority's response and community adaptation among core workforces in responding to acute events in Vietnam. Health professionals, medical students, and community workers in all regions of Vietnam were invited to participate in a web-based survey from December 2019 to February 2020. The snowball sampling technique was utilized to recruit respondents. The Tobit multivariable regression model was used to identify associated factors. The results showed that based on a 0-10 numeric rating scale, the mean scores of the capacity of local agencies and community adaptation were 6.2 ± 2 and 6.0 ± 1.8, respectively. Regarding local authority competencies, the lowest score went to "Adequate equipment, infrastructures and funding for disease prevention". For community adaptation, the respondents evaluated the capacity on "Periodic training, equipment and drills to prepare for epidemic and disaster response" competency" with the lowest mark (5.2 ± 2.5). Overall, there were significant differences in the assessment of community adaptive capacity between urban and rural areas (p < 0.01). This study indicated the moderate capacity of the local authority and community adaptation on epidemics and disasters in Vietnam. It is critically necessary to develop the action plan, response scenario and strategies to optimize the utilization of equipment and human resources in combating epidemics for each setting.

The Psychological Science Accelerator's COVID-19 rapid-response dataset.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta Variants during a Large Nationwide Outbreak in Vietnam, 2021 (preprint)

In 2021, Vietnam experienced a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19, with over 1.7 million infections and 32,000 deaths. We generated 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences, and mapped out the public health measures alongside the evolutionary trajectory of the pathogen. The Alpha variant caused sporadic outbreaks in early 2021 prior to the upsurge in cases associated with the Delta variant from June onward. The Delta variant outbreak was almost entirely confined to the AY.57 lineage, accounting for 99.2% of 1,212 Delta variant sequences, and resulting from a single introduction. Viral dispersal from the north, where it was first introduced into Vietnam, to the south, marked the start of the nationwide outbreak, with the south subsequently seeding the virus back to the other regions. Distinct AY.57 phylogenetic clusters in different regions of Vietnam were documented, pointing to the impact of in-country lockdown. Genomic surveillance is critical to inform pandemic response.

Balancing the aquatic export supply chain strategy- A case study of the Vietnam pangasius industry

COVID-19 has called more attention to the importance of supply chains (SCs) in the global food market. The supply chain for Vietnamese pangasius is expanding at a rapid rate, and export shares are changing in the EU, the US, China, and ASEAN markets. Increased international competition in the whitefish market and other emerging Asian markets have forced the Vietnam pangasius industry to re-examine its SC strategy. The questions raised are: Should the pangasius industry employ a responsive SC, where aquatic products achieve international certificates and respond to consumer demand, or embrace a cost-efficient supply chain with large export volumes, low selling prices, and increased stakeholder profits? Based on the concepts of cost responsiveness and efficient frontier, using time series data for 2010–2019, we attempted to identify and describe the factors influencing Vietnamese pangasius strategic balance along this frontier. Vietnam's pangasius strategic balance is between a responsive supply chain and a cost-effective SC with greater emphasis on responsive supply chain management. However, there is insufficient attention to changing consumer trends and demands, and although the laws directing each node of the supply chain are numerous, there is inadequate enforcement and oversight of their implementation. The strategy of cost minimization is facing many challenges: the market share is declining in some major markets, profits have tightened due to low selling prices, there is competition with other whitefish species, and distribution channels have improved but remain inefficient. The recommendation requires the adoption of a supply chain strategy that balances between a cost-efficient and a responsive chain for the pangasius industry to remain competitive.

Examining effects of students’ innovative behaviour and problem-solving skills on crisis management self-efficacy: Policy implications for higher education

COVID-19 has caused unprecedented challenges for the higher education community worldwide, one of which is that students have had to maintain their learning while dealing with the crisis conditions. However, a systematic understanding of students’ individual crisis management still remains absent despite its importance. The newly emerged and ongoing phenomenon has leveraged the role of crisis management in the context of education, which is even more essential with the forthcoming uncertain future. This study investigates factors related to students’ crisis management self-efficacy in higher education during the pandemic. Particularly, survey data were collected from 387 undergraduate students to investigate the effects of innovative behaviour and problem-solving skills on crisis self-efficacy. Structural Equation Modelling was applied to conceptualise and empirically test a model that examines the relationship between crisis self-efficacy and related factors. Moreover, the study aimed to assess the role of technology abilities in students’ crisis management self-efficacy and academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research results provided some compelling evidence for the positive effects of innovative behaviour and problem-solving skills on crisis management self-efficacy. This study also discusses some feasible implications for higher education policy and future research directions. © The Author(s) 2022.

High Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Children in Vietnam: An Observational, Hospital-based Study (preprint)

Background: The robustness of sero-surveillence has delineated the high burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children; however, these existing data showed wide variation. This study aimed to identify the serostatus of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and associated factors among children following the fourth pandemic wave in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Vietnam National Children’s Hospital (VNCH) between March 13 and April 3, 2022. 4,032 eligible children seeking medical care for any medical condition not related to acute Covid-19 infections was tested for IgG SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies by ADVIA Centaur® SARS-CoV-2 IgG (sCOVG) assay using the residuals of routine blood samples. Results: The median age of enrolled children was 39 (IQR=14-82) months. The overall seropositive prevalence was 59.2%, and the median antibody titer was 4.78 [IQR 2.38-9.57] UI/mL. The risk of seropositivity and the median antibody titer was not related to gender (58.6% versus 60.1%, 4.9 versus 4.6 UI/mL, all p>0.05). Among age groups, the highest seroprevalence was reported in the children aged 13 to <36 months old. Children aged ≤12 months were likely to be seropositive compared to children aged 36 to <60 months (59.2% versus 57.5%, p=0.49) and those aged ≥144 months (59.2% versus 65.5%, p=0.16). Children aged ≥144 months exhibited a significantly higher titer of protective COVID-19 antibodies than other age groups (p <0.001). In multivariate logistic regression, we observed independent factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, including the age 13 to <36 months (OR=1.29, 95%CI=1.06-1.56, p=0.01), 60 to <144 months (OR=79, 95%CI=0.67-0.95, p=0.01), ≥144 months (OR=1.84, 95%CI=1.21-2.8, p=0.005), the presence of infected household members (OR=2.36, 95%CI=2.06–2.70, p<0.001), participants from Hanoi (OR=1.54, 95%CI=1.34-1.77, p<0.001), underlying conditions (OR=0.71, 95%CI=0.60-0.85, p<=0.001), and using corticosteroids or immunosuppressants (OR=0.64, 95%CI=0.48-0.86, p=0.003). Conclusions: This study highlights a high seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among children seeking medical care for non-COVID-19-related conditions in a tertiary children’s hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. In the context of reopening in-person schools and future emerged COVID-19 variants, this point will also be a key message about the necessity of “rush-out” immunization coverage for children, especially those under the age of three years.

Recruiting and retaining community-based participants in a COVID-19 longitudinal cohort and social networks study: lessons from Victoria, Australia (preprint)

Background: Longitudinal studies are critical to informing evolving responses to COVID-19 but can be hampered by attrition bias, which undermines their reliability for guiding policy and practice. We describe recruitment and retention in the Optimise Study, a longitudinal cohort and social networks study that aimed to inform public health and policy responses to COVID-19. Methods: Optimise recruited adults residing in Victoria, Australia September 01 2020–September 30 2021. High-frequency follow-up data collection included nominating social networks for study participation and completing a follow-up survey and four follow-up diaries each month, plus additional surveys if they tested positive for COVID-19 or were a close contact. This study compared number recruited to a-priori targets as of September 30 2021, retention as of December 31 2021, comparing participants retained and not retained, and follow-up survey and diary completion October 2020–December 2021. Retained participants completed a follow-up survey or diary in each of the final three-months of their follow-up time. Attrition was defined by the number of participants not retained, divided by the number who completed a baseline survey by September 30 2021. Survey completion was calculated as the proportion of follow-up surveys or diaries sent to participants that were completed between October 2020–December 2021. Results: At September 30 2021, 663 participants were recruited and at December 31 2021, 563 were retained giving an overall attrition of 15% (n=100/663). Among the 563 retained, survey completion was 90% (n=19,354/21,524) for follow-up diaries and 89% (n=4,936/5,560) for monthly follow-up surveys. Compared to participants not retained, those retained were older (t-test, p <0.001), and more likely to be female (χ2, p=0.001), and tertiary educated (χ2, p=0.018). Conclusion: High levels of study retention and survey completion demonstrate a willingness to participate in a complex, longitudinal cohort study with high participant burden during a global pandemic. We believe comprehensive follow-up strategies, frequent dissemination of study findings to participants, and unique data collection systems have contributed to high levels of study retention.

Nomophobia and stress among Vietnamese high school students in COVID-19 pandemic: a mediation model of loneliness

Nomophobia is rising among high school students, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as social distancing, long-term online learning, and lack of social support. Many studies have also shown that students with high levels of nomophobia have a higher risk of stress. However, very few researchers are interested in studying loneliness as a mediation factor for the relationship between nomophobia and stress. This study investigated whether the loneliness factor is a mediator in the relationship between nomophobia and stress in Vietnamese high school students. Participants include 556 Vietnamese high school students. Participants completed the Nomophobia Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21, The UCLA loneliness scale version 3. In this research, to test variable relationships, the mediation analyzing method by the PROCESS macro 3.5 will be applied. The research concludes that for Vietnam high school students, the mediating role of loneliness was identified in the relationship between nomophobia and stress. It is a suggestion through this research that nomophobia preventive and mitigating measures should reduce loneliness in students.

Sharing and connecting information in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and training skills for employees to meet the needs of businesses in digital transformation

In the context of the strong outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic leading to increasing social distancing, it is difficult for businesses to access the labor market. Therefore, it is necessary to create a connection channel between the employer and the labor supplier. That helps to adapt to the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, while also taking advantage of the achievements from the Industrial Revolution 4.0. The development of a training model that connects human resource trainers with human resource users who are businesses is considered an important requirement in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The university-enterprise model demonstrates active cooperation and has a profound impact on teaching and scientific research activities in universities. Since then, constantly improving the quality of training to create labor products that meet the rigorous needs of enterprises. This study uses exploratory factor analysis methods to screen observations to analyze, evaluate and draw conclusions about the formation of a university-enterprise linkage model. Thereby helping to create a bridge in cooperation between universities and businesses. On that basis, propose solutions to promote cooperation between universities and businesses in the current Vietnamese conditions, contributing to creating high-quality labor for society, meeting the needs of digital businesses.

Feasibility, acceptability, and bacterial recovery for community-based biological sample collection to estimate antibiotic resistance in commensal gut and upper respiratory tract bacteria: a cross-sectional mixed-methods study (preprint)

Background: Vietnam has high rates of antibiotic resistance, driven by overuse in agriculture, hospital, and community healthcare. Measures of resistance in commensal bacteria could provide a hard indicator for progress in evaluating the impact of interventions to reduce antibiotic use in the community. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and bacterial recovery for health-worker (HW) administered compared to self-administered swabs to recover Streptococcus pneumoniae , and stool collection to recover Enterobacterales in a community-based pilot study. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional mixed methods study in a rural community in Ha Nam Province, northern Vietnam. Between 16 July 2018 and 10 April 2019, 389 households were invited to participate in a household survey, Households were randomly selected and allocated in a 2:1 ratio to provide self-administered nasal swabs, or HW-administered nasopharyngeal swabs. Structured interviews were conducted with each household, and stool samples were self-collected from all household members. In-depth interviews with participants and health-workers were conducted in August 2018 to explore perspectives about different sample collection methods. Results 324 households participated (83%), representing 1502 individuals. Stool samples were collected from 1498 individuals, self-administered nasal swabs from 1002 and HW-administered nasopharyngeal swabs from 496. S. pneumoniae were recovered from 11.1% (128/1,149) of the total population and 26.2% (48/183) of those under 5-years. Recovery was higher for HW-administered swabs (13.7%, 48/350) than self-administered swabs (10.0%, 80/799) (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.07–3.96). Five main themes related to feasibility emerged through qualitative interviews: workload for data collectors; sample collection procedures; concerns about quality; storage and transportation; and disruptions. Nasopharyngeal swabs administered by health-workers took longer to collect, caused more discomfort and were more difficult to take from children. Costs per swab were cheaper for self-administered ($7.26) than HW-administered swabs ($8.63), but the total cost for 100 positive samples was higher ($7,260 and $6,300 respectively). Only 3 households refused to participate, representing a high acceptability of taking part. Factors affecting motivation to participate included sense of contribution, perceived trade-offs between benefits and effort, influence from others. Reluctance was related to stool sampling and negative perceptions of research. Conclusions This study provides important evidence for planning community-based carriage studies, including cost, logistics, and participant feedback about acceptability of different methods. Self-administered swabs had lower recovery, and though cheaper and quicker, this would translate to higher costs for large population-based studies requiring adequate numbers of positive samples for further testing. Factors that might improve recovery for self-administered swabs include swab-type, transport medium, and improved cold-chain to lab.

Semi-nested RT-PCR enables sensitive and high-throughput detection of SARS-CoV-2 based on melting analysis.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic transmission was found to be the Achilles' heel of the symptom-based screening strategy, necessitating the implementation of mass testing to efficiently contain the transmission of COVID-19 pandemic. However, the global shortage of molecular reagents and the low throughput of available realtime PCR facilities were major limiting factors. METHODS: A novel semi-nested and heptaplex (7-plex) RT-PCR assay with melting analysis for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been established for either individual testing or 96-sample pooled testing. The complex melting spectrum collected from the heptaplex RT-PCR amplicons was interpreted with the support of an artificial intelligence algorithm for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The analytical and clinical performance of the semi-nested RT-PCR assay was evaluated using RNAs synthesized in-vitro and those isolated from nasopharyngeal samples. RESULTS: The LOD of the assay for individual testing was estimated to be 7.2 copies/reaction. Clinical performance evaluation indicated a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 97.83-100) and a specificity of 99.87% (95% CI: 99.55-99.98). More importantly, the assay supports a breakthrough sample pooling method, which makes possible parallel screening of up to 96 samples in one real-time PCR well without loss of sensitivity. As a result, up to 8,820 individual pre-amplified samples could be screened for SARS-CoV-2 within each 96-well plate of realtime PCR using the pooled testing procedure. CONCLUSION: The novel semi-nested RT-PCR assay provides a solution for highly multiplex (7-plex) detection of SARS-CoV-2 and enables 96-sample pooled detection for increase of testing capacity. .

Factors Associated with Community Awareness on COVID-19 in a Developing Country: Implications for Optimal Risk Communication

Purpose New COVID-19 variants pose great challenges in protecting the success of vaccination programs. Awareness of community becomes an important component to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to analyze people’s awareness of COVID-19 and identify the implications for optimal risk communication in Vietnam. Study Methods and Materials A total of 341 individuals participated in an online cross-sectional study. Community awareness on COVID-19 was examined by using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable Tobit regression was used to examine associated factors with community awareness. Results Our results indicated high levels of awareness of local COVID-19 situation, transmission risks, and preventive behavioral practices during the first week of social isolation. Higher awareness of local pandemic situation was associated with female respondents (Coef.: 6.19;95% CI: 0.51;11.87) and larger family sizes of above 5 people (Coef.: 9.00;−1.00;19.00). Respondents between 35–44 years old were shown to be less aware of preventive behavioral practices than other age groups, including the group of participants above 44 years old (Coef.: −0.34;95% CI: −0.67;−0.02). Lastly, participants who were “fairly satisfied” with information resources had awareness levels of preventive behavioral practices lower than that of “unsatisfied” respondents (Coef.: −0.45;95% CI: 0.74;−0.16). Conclusion This study offers crucial insights into the pandemic awareness of citizens and risk communication effectiveness during COVID-19 in Vietnam. The study findings shall serve the development of policies and interventions aimed at empowering individuals in the local and global fight against coronavirus.

The efficacy, safety and immunogenicity Nanocovax: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial. (preprint)

Background Nanocovax is a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 subunit vaccine composed of full-length prefusion stabilized recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins (S-2P) and aluminum hydroxide adjuvant. In a Phase 1 and 2 studies, (NCT04683484) the vaccine was found to be safe and induce a robust immune response in healthy adult participants. Methods We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of the Nanocovax vaccine against Covid-19 in approximately 13,007 volunteers aged 18 years and over. The immunogenicity was assessed based on Anti-S IgG antibody response, surrogate virus neutralization, wild-type SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and the types of helper T-cell response by intracellular staining (ICS) for interferon gamma (IFNg) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). The vaccine efficacy (VE) was calculated basing on serologically confirmed cases of Covid-19. Findings Up to day 180, incidences of solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AE) were similar between vaccine and placebo groups. 100 serious adverse events (SAE) were observed in both vaccine and placebo groups (out of total 13007 participants). 96 out of these 100 SAEs were determined to be unrelated to the investigational products. 4 SAEs were possibly related, as determined by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) and investigators. Reactogenicity was absent or mild in the majority of participants and of short duration. These findings highlight the excellent safety profile of Nanocovax. Regarding immunogenicity, Nanocovax induced robust IgG and neutralizing antibody responses. Importantly, Anti S-IgG levels and neutralizing antibody titers on day 42 were higher than those of natural infected cases. Nanocovax was found to induce Th2 polarization rather than Th1. Post-hoc analysis showed that the VE against symptomatic disease was 51.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] was [34.4%-64.1%]. VE against severe illness and death were 93.3% [62.2- 98.1]. Notably, the dominant strain during the period of this study was Delta variant. Interpretation Nanocovax 25 microgram (mcg) was found to be safe with the efficacy against symptomatic infection of Delta variant of 51.5%.

Parent–Child Relationship Quality and Internet Use in a Developing Country: Adolescents’ Perspectives

Objective The goal of the study was to explore the relationship between parent–children relationships related to using the internet among kids and potentially associated factors. Materials and Methods A sample of 1.216 Vietnamese students between the ages of 12 and 18 agreed to participate in the cross-sectional online survey. Data collected included socioeconomic characteristics and internet use status of participants, their perceived changes in relationship and communication between parents and children since using the internet, and parental control toward the child’s internet use. An Ordered Logistic Regression was carried out to determine factors associated with parent–children relationship since using the internet. Results The characteristics of the relationship between children and their parents since using the Internet were divided into three levels: deterioration (7.0%), stability (78.2%), and improvement (14.8%). The topics that children most often communicate with their parents include learning, housework, and future directions. Two-way interactive activities, such as supporting parents to use the Internet, have a positive impact on the parent–child relationship. Stubborn parental control, such as establishing rules about contact or allowing Internet access and setting up global positioning system (GPS) to track negatively affecting parent–child relationships. Conclusion Findings indicated that changes in the quality of the parent–child relationship were self-assessed by participants regard to kids’ internet use, especially in the COVID-19 epidemic context. Educational campaigns and programs to raise awareness of parents as to the dangers and negative influences that their children may encounter online, psychology of children’s behaviors and effects of different responding strategies are recommended.

Renewable energy consumption, nonrenewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions and economic growth in Vietnam

PurposeThis study intended to analyze the impact of nonrenewable energy consumption, renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions on per capita income growth in Vietnam in the period 1990–2019.Design/methodology/approachThe present study adopts the technique of the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration for the annual data collection of Vietnam.FindingsThe results of the study show that in the long term, nonrenewable energy consumption increases per capita income, but CO2 emissions reduce per capita income. In the short run, changes in nonrenewable energy consumption and renewable energy consumption promote per capita income growth in Vietnam. However, changes in nonrenewable energy consumption in the past have had a negative impact on the current income growth of Vietnamese people.Originality/valueThe current study provides new insights into the growth effect of nonrenewable energy consumption, renewable energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The papers suggests important implications to Vietnam in setting the long-run policies to boost the effect of energy consumption and CO2 emissions on growth in Vietnam in the coming time.

The interaction patterns of pandemic-initiated online teaching: How teachers adapted

This study investigated how teachers adjusted their teaching practices for online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam. In the study, we collected data from ten teachers within the Department of English at a university in Vietnam through semi-structured interviews via Zoom. During the interviews, the participants shared how they organised their teaching activities and addressed challenges in engaging students. To analyse the data, we focused on the variety of interaction patterns (teacher-student, student-student and student-content) in online teaching. The results showed that most of the teachers deployed activities for two main types of interaction: teacher-student, and student-content, but not for student-student interaction. Teachers also reported that they received limited online teacher training and had to learn by themselves how to engage students remotely. While the university tried to support teachers, no consistent online teaching guidelines were provided. The study suggests that higher education institutions should offer training opportunities and provide teachers with clear guidelines for online teaching.